Fatal consequences of decreased sensitivity to pain and temperature in a frontotemporal dementia patient.

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a heterogeneous syndrome characterized by the progressive damage of frontal and temporal brain regions. These networks largely overlap with those involved in pain and temperature processing. Although the impaired perception of pain and temperature has been previously described to be relatively common in patients with FTD, these symptoms are often not consistently assessed by Neurologists. We present the case of a patient with a probable behavioral variant FTD who died due to scalding with hot water in the shower. Impairments in the perception of pain and temperature might have played a fundamental role in this accident.

2-Chlorodeoxyadenosine (cladribine)-related eosinophilia in patients with lymphoproliferative diseases.

Eosinophilia and allergic skin reactions are uncommon events after 2-chlorodoxyadenosine (2-CdA, cladribine) administration. A multicentre retrospective analysis of eosinophilia in 360 patients treated with 2-CdA for lymphoid malignancies has been made. B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL) was diagnosed in 153, hairy cell leukaemia (HCL) in 68, low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (LGNHL) in 119, high-grade NHL in 2 and Waldenstrom's macroglobulinaemia (WM) in 18 patients. 2-CdA was administered at a dose 0.12 mg/kg/d in 2-h intravenous infusion for 5 consecutive d. The courses were repeated monthly. Patients with HCL received 1 cycle of 2-CdA, with NHL 2-6 (mean 3.5) cycles and with B-CLL 3-6 (mean 5) cycles. Twenty patients (5.5%), including 5 with HCL, 6 with LGNHL, 7 with B-CLL and 2 with WM, developed peripheral blood eosinophilia. The mean values of absolute eosinophil count were 0.78x10(9)/l (0.58-1.06x10(9)/l), 0.71x10(9)/l (0.52-1.3x10(9)/l), 85 (0.56-1.82x10(9)/l) and 0.75 (0.74-0.76x10(9)/l), respectively. Eosinophilia occurred in 13 patients after 1 course, in 4 after 2 courses, and in 5 after > or =3 courses of the therapy. In 17 cases it resolved spontaneously. Allergic skin lesions with pruritus were noticed in 3 patients simultaneously with an increase in eosinophil count. All of them required antihistaminic drugs and/or corticosteroids. One patient with B-CLL experienced repeated episodes of eosinophilia. The highest incidence of 2-CdA-induced eosinophilia was noticed in patients with MW (11.1%) and HCL (7.4%) who received only 1 cycle of this drug and entered a complete remission. This side effect was less frequently observed in LGNHL and B-CLL, i.e. in 5.0% and 4.6% of cases, respectively. The mechanism of 2-CdA-induced eosinophilia is not clear. It has been postulated that massive tumour cell lysis may trigger a release of IL-5 and probably other cytokines. The allergic mechanism of 2-CdA-induced eosinophilia is also possible, especially in patients with simultaneous skin reactions.

2-chlorodeoxyadenosine (2-CdA) in 2-hour versus 24-hour intravenous infusion in the treatment of patients with hairy cell leukemia.

Forty one patients with hairy cell leukemia (HCL) were treated with 2-chloro-deoxyadenosine (2-CdA) administered in various schedules. Complete remission (CR) was achieved in 31 (76%) patients and partial remission (PR) in 9 (22%). The mean duration of remission (CR + PR) was 25.2 months (range 9-45 months). One patient did not respond to therapy. Twelve out of 16 patients (75%) achieved CR after 5-day intravenous infusions of 2-CdA and 19 out of 25 patients (76%) after 7-day courses. In 19 out of 23 patients (82.6%) CR was achieved after intermittent 2-hour infusions and in 12 out of 18 (66.7%) after continuous 24-hour infusion. The differences were not statistically significant. Side effects of 2-CdA were similar in both groups except for infections, which were less frequently observed in the group treated for 5 days. The results of our study suggest that 2-CdA can be effectively administered to patients with HCL using 5-day courses and a 2-hour daily infusion.

[Investigation of activity of new quaternary imidazole-linear chlorides against selected bacterial strains. Synthesis of 2-alkyl-3-alkymethyl-1-ethylimidazolelinear and 2-alkyl-3-alkoxymethyl-1-ethylimidazolelinear chlorides]. / Badanie aktywnosci nowych czwartorzedowych chlorków imidazoliniowych wobec wybranych szczepów bakterii. Synteza chlorków 2-alkilo-3-alkilotiometylo-1-etyloimidazoliniowych i 2-alkilo-3- alkokosymetylo-1-etyloimidazolinowych.

Synthesis and bacteriostatic properties of a new alkylthiomethylimidazole-linear and alkomethyly-limidazole-linear chlorides was described. It was found that these chlorides are active against bacilli, cocci and yeast-like fungi and express lower activity against rods. Highest activity was observed with 2-benzyl-3-decyloxymethyl-1--ethylimidazolinear and 1-ethyl-heptadecyl-3-undecyloxymethylimidazolelinear chlorides.

The evaluation of medical college students' preparation to propagate health education.

The propagation of health education is within the range of nurses' professional duties. It necessitates the use of specific methods and techniques of work. "Inasmuch as the doctor treats, it is the nurse who creates best possible conditions for recovering and keeping health conditions permitting treatment or prevention" (3, 12). The increased level of general education among people and changes in modern nursing make the nurse face new tasks in her work. Nurse must be qualified in the field of health education if she works in the out-patient medical service as well as in hospital. She must be able to convince people about the necessity of changing life style, harmful and improper habits. The fulfillment of this difficult, yet important task may change patient's and his family's health habits and behaviour. So, nowadays the nurse must combine two functions: health-nursing called health-missioner's work with sick-nursing (1, 4, 9). Work in the field of health education requires high level of professional knowledge, skills, methods, recognition of educational and sanitary needs of a social group, personal direct influence based on proper social attitude, which is very important (10, 11). Health education is best and most effectively propagated in situations of individual contact with the patient (7). Patients seeking help in medical service institutions are interested in their health and want to do something in the field (8). The analysis of nurse's and midwife's positions shows that work in out-patient health service and in hospital offers a close contact with the patient and his environment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)